How ‘Purito’ won the 2013 WorldTour

Joaquim Rodríguez secured the 2013 UCI WorldTour title on Sunday at the Giro di Lombardia. The Spaniard called "Purito" accrued 607 points during the season and will sit out the calendar-closing Tour of Beijing. Tour de France champion Chris Froome will end the year second, with 587 points, and Alejandro Valverde is third, with 540 points. Rodríguez secured his record third title in the sport's most prestigious race series by earning points in seven events spanning March to September — three more than Froome and two less than Valverde. Photo: Graham Watson | www.grahamwatson.com

Rodríguez attacked on the final climb in Chieti, Italy, to win stage 5 of Tirreno-Adriatico in March. "Purito" dropped soon-to-be race leader Chris Froome and a group of overall contenders and stage hunters to ride alone to victory. Fifth overall and third behind Froome and winner Peter Sagan in the brutal sixth stage at Porto Sant'Elpidio, Rodríguez earned 58 points in the Milano-Sanremo precursor. Race report >> Photo: Graham Watson | www.grahamwatson.com

Rodríguez racked up 86 points at the Volta a Catalunya in March. In stage 4 he chased an untouchable Daniel Martin, who escaped for a long-range solo victory, and finished second. A day earlier, he was third on stage 3 and went on to finish second overall, to Martin. Race report >> Photo: Graham Watson | www.grahamwatson.com

As the defending champion, Rodríguez played the ultimate team card at Flèche Wallonne in April, giving teammate Daniel Moreno the green light to attack on the final run up the Mur de Huy. Philippe Gilbert, winner of the 2011 WorldTour, led the chase of Carlos Betancur on the steep climb to the finish, but it was Moreno who surged for victory, with Rodríguez finishing sixth for 22 points. Race report >> Photo: Graham Watson | www.grahamwatson.com

Rodríguez looked set for the victory at Liège–Bastogne–Liège in April, but had no answer when Daniel Martin caught and attacked him in the race's final two kilometers. "Purito" was second at "La Doyenne" and earned 80 points for his WorldTour campaign. Race report >> Photo: Graham Watson | www.grahamwatson.com

Rodríguez rode himself onto the final podium in stage 20 of the Tour de France, pulling away from Alberto Contador with best young rider Nairo Quintana and overall winner Chris Froome on the Semnoz climb. "Purito" was second on the final summit finish of the 2013 Tour, and notched five top-10 stage results for 144 points. Froome left the race leading the WorldTour, but Rodríguez would eat into the Briton's advantage over the next two months. Race report >> Photo: Graham Watson | www.grahamwatson.com

Rodríguez scored 100 points and a second consecutive Giro di Lombardia win after he countered an acceleration by Thibaut Pinot to come around Domenico Pozzovivo and go solo a little more than 10 kilometers from the finish. The attack, on the Salito del Ello after 230km, shed a chorus of rivals, including WorldTour contender Alejandro Valverde, and delivered "Purito" his third WorldTour title. Race report >> Photo: Graham Watson | www.grahamwatson.com